“Bacon is the answer. Now, what’s your question?” So goes a popular quip.
“Jesus is the answer.” Seen on bumper sticker every day at the gym. It is implied, I guess, now, what’s your question.
If you begin with an answer, you will learn nothing new.
If you begin with an answer, you will be unable to help anyone.
I’m in the midst of recertifying in First Aid / CPR / AED. We begin with questions. May I help you? Please describe what happened. Where does it hurt?
Better than saying, “Jesus is the answer” is “How can Jesus help you?” This direction means that we must focus on the other person’s needs not on our “answer”. Maybe it is the need for food. Or shelter. Or peace. Or to be understood. Or it’s something you can provide in the name of Jesus. Now that’s a revolutionary thought! Maybe we don’t just sit back and shout “Jesus is the answer.” Maybe Jesus wants us to say, “How can we be the answer in the name of Jesus?” That is starting to sound like much of what happened in the Acts.
This is Holy Week. Reporting the details of this week from almost 2,000 years ago comprises a huge part of the Gospel of John. That must mean it’s important.
We could be asking better questions this week in our private time–and maybe even our discussions–than simply rushing from one event to the next.
How am I like the disciples?
How am I like the Pharisees?
How am I like the Jewish religious establishment?
How am I like the Roman soldiers?
How am I like Pilate?
What one thing would I like to learn from this Holy Week experience that had never dawned on me before?
March 26, 2018 at 8:36 am |
Love the perspective! Great reminder that we aren’t spiritual salesmen 😉